GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 73 



is the most important and is the one with which the investigations are mostly 

 concerned. The work covers investigations of preservatives used, of processes 

 for injecting the preservatives, and of the suitability of various species for 

 treatment. It consists of laboratory experiments, of cooperative field work, and 

 of tests of various forms and species of wood treated by different preservatives 

 under actual conditions of service. 



DERIVED PRODUCTS. 



Besides the investigations which deal with wood as such, investigations are 

 made of products other than wood derived from wood, bark, and leaves, and 

 from the living tree. The purpose of the work is to increase the efficiency of 

 the processes employed, to increase the yield of valuable products, and to dis- 

 cover means of producing new products. Such investigations make possible the 

 utilization of parts of the tree now wasted and of species for which there is 

 now little demand. The field covers the following lines of work : 



Pull* aii<l jxtpcr. This work includes the study of the suitability of different 

 species of wood for the production of paper pulp and the determination of the 

 effect of the various fundamental processes on the quality and quantity of pulp 

 produced. It covers the production of pulp by both mechanical and chemical 

 means. 



Wood distillation. The investigations consist of (1) a study of new species; 

 (2) of the development of more efficient methods of producing and refining the 

 products secured; (3) the determintaion of the properties and uses of the 

 products not readily marketable at present. Investigations are conducted both 

 with hard woods and resinous woods. 



Naval stores. The object of this work is to determine the suitability of 

 species other than the southern pines for the production of turpentine and 

 rosin and to study methods of improving turpentine operations which will re- 

 sult in an increased yield of the valuable products and conserve the available 

 supply of timber. 



Other products derived from wood. The field of work covers the production 

 of tannins, ethyl alcohol, gas, and all other valuable products which may be 

 obtained from wood or wood waste as the principal raw material. 



STATISTICAL STUDIES. 



The statistical studies deal with the extent of production and utilization 

 of forest products, the occurrence and reduction of waste, and the increase of 

 efficiency in the utilization of wood in the manufacture of various products. 

 The field includes the collection in cooperatioa with the Bureau of the Census 

 of statistics showing the annual production of the major forest products and 

 the collection of statistics of quantity and kind of wood consumed by the various 

 wood-using industries, the average prices of lumber f. o. b. mills and markets 

 at representative points throughout the country, and of miscellaneous studies, 

 such as the quantity of preservatives annually consumed for wood preservation. 



SCOPE OF WORK. 



The work outlined above necessarily covers two distinct fields: (1) Funda- 

 mental investigations, and (2) commercial application of principles determined 

 by the investigations. The investigations are conducted primarily at the Forest 

 Products Laboratory and at other stations which are provided with facilities 

 for conducting experimental work. The study of commercial application is 

 conducted in localities which may be most suitable for the specific problems 

 under investigation. 



, In the study of the properties of wood, the selection of the species, form, 

 and condition of material for investigation is the important consideration. 

 The work will be confined mainly (1) to species at present used extensively in 

 this country, and for which further knowledge of their properties, uses, and 

 suitability for various uses is needed; (2) to species not at present used ex- 

 tensively in this country, but of which there is a sufficient supply to render 

 them of commercial importance; (3) to various forms of waste which occur 

 in sufficient quantity to be of commercial importance. 



In the study of processes and methods, the selection of the processes and the 

 fundamental features in their operation is the important consideration. The 

 work should be confined mainly to (1) processes at present established and 



